Help us free
Ruben Vardanyan and the Armenian Prisoners
DAYS IN PRISON
457
Why your support is important
Since September 2023, renowned Armenian philanthropist, co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, father and former State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, Ruben Vardanyan, has been illegally detained by the Azerbaijani government alongside other notable Armenians. During this time, Ruben has been tortured with sleep deprivation, forced to stand for hours, denied water, deprived of access to bathing and has been given limited access to his lawyers.
Every day counts for the well-being and lives of these prisoners. The international community must put pressure on Azerbaijan and its president Ilham Aliyev to stop committing gross human right violations and return illegally detained prisoners like Ruben to his family.
Philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan and over 23 other Armenians are being detained in Baku by Azerbaijani authorities. Many were charged with crimes they did not commit and are being unlawfully detained. These include three former presidents of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, including Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan and Arkadi Ghukasyan.
Ruben Vardanyan has dedicated much of his life to humanitarian and cultural projects with the aim of making the world a better place for all. This includes the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, which provides support to over 400 projects in 56 countries and territories. Aurora programmes have directly and indirectly aided more than 2.7 million people around the world. He has also been involved with many other philanthropic projects including co-founding and investing in UWC Dilijan International College, the SKOLKOVO Business School, and the world’s longest cable car, Wings of Tatev.
He is also a devoted husband and father of four. His family members haven’t seen him since his detention and are desperate to be reunited.
TAKE ACTION
Ruben Vardanyan and the other political prisoners held in Baku have garnered significant support from across the world. You too can help by signing our petition and writing letters with the easy-to-use templates below.
TO DATE:
SIGN OUR PETITION
Thousands of signatories are already supporting the release of Ruben Vardanyan and all other illegally-detained Baku prisoners. Get involved.
Send a Physical Letter to Ruben
Sending a physical letter to Ruben is a heartfelt way to show your support. You can do that by following these steps:
1. Click the Receive Details button below. This will open your email client with a pre-filled request for instructions. Send this email as it is.
2. The Free Armenian Prisoners team will respond with all the necessary information for sending a physical letter to Ruben.
3. Once you have the details, use your local postal service to send the letter and cover any necessary postage fees.
Your words of support will mean a lot, and this gesture helps remind Ruben that people are standing with him.
SEND AN EMAIL TO RUBEN
Voice your support by writing to Ruben and his family. Although Ruben cannot receive letters in prison, he will be able to see your letters after his release. Submit your letter via lettertoruben@freearmenianprisoners.com or by clicking the link below.
If you wish to send a letter directly to Ruben while he is unlawfully detained in Baku, please refer to the detailed instructions provided in Section 2.
WRITE TO PRESIDENT ALIYEV
Share your concerns with President Aliyev using the optional letter template and address details in the link below.
WRITE TO YOUR AMBASSADOR IN BAKU
Click below to select your country and receive an email template and contact details for you to follow.
Write to Azerbaijan’s commissioner for human rights
You can express your thoughts to the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan using the optional letter template and address details in the link below.
Write to Azerbaijan’s prosecutor general’s office
You may submit a complaint to the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Please note that by clicking the button below, you will be redirected to the website of the Prosecutor General’s Office, where you will need to provide passport details to proceed with the complaint. If you prefer not to share this information with a government agency, we recommend refraining from clicking the button below.
Once you have submitted a complaint, kindly click the button below. This helps us keep track of the number of letters sent.
Reaching Out to Azerbaijani Officials with a Physical Letter
You can send a physical letter to either the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AZ 1000, Azerbaijan, Baku, 80 Uzeyir Hajibeyli Street, Gate N.2) or the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AZ 1001, Azerbaijan, Baku, 7 Nigar Rafibeyli Street). To do so, please use your country’s postal services and pay any required fees.
Once you have sent the letter, kindly click the confirmation button below. This helps us keep track of the number of letters sent
FOLLOW
Follow @freearmenianprisoners on Facebook, Instagram and X for the latest content, updates, and information.
When sharing, amplify reach by using the hashtags #FreeArmenianPrisoners and #FreeRubenVardanyan.
#FreeArmenianPrisoners #FreeRubenVardanyan
WRITE TO YOUR AMBASSADOR IN BAKU
Please find a list of countries below that have an embassy in Azerbaijan. If your country is not on the list, then please feel free to reach out to the UN or the EU or an affiliate embassy of your choice. Alternatively, you can contact President Aliyev directly using the ‘Write to President Aliyev’ link. We appreciate your support.
